Windshield cleaner



March 26, 1935. HfHUl-:BER 1,996,018

` wINDsHIELD CLEANER Filed 'March 2, 1951 Patented Mar. 26, 1935 UNITEDSTATES 1,996,018 wnvDsmELn CLEANER.

Henry Hueber, Buffalo, N. Y., assignor to Trico' Products Corporation,Buffalo, N. Y.

yApplication March z, 1931, seria1No.519,59z

9 Claims.

This invention relates to windshield cleaners and particularly to animproved means for attaching the wiping blades to the supporting andactuating arms thereof.

Windshield cleaners conventionally comprise a motor actuated arm whichreciprocates in a plane parallel to the windshield to carry the wipingblade in contact with a surface of the windshield. It has been founddesirable to provide a play connection between the arm and the supportedwiping blade which will allow the blade to trail the arm at anacuteangle to the glass to provide better wiping contact and to ilop orshift relative to the arm when the direction of arm movement is reversedin order to continue these trailing and angular relationships. It isalso desirable to provide a means of connection between the arm andblade which may be effected without the use of tools or attaching boltsor rivets, in order that the blade may be quickly and easily installedor replaced.

Means for attaching cleaning blades having these desirablecharacteristics have heretofore been invented, as exemplied in my PatentNo. 1,778,256, granted October 14, 1930, in which is disclosed a wiperblade provided with a notched and aperture clip for receiving a hookedend portion of a wiper carrying arm, the blade being attachable ordetachable from the arm when `fthe latter is moved or lifted outwardlyfrom the plane of the windshield and the blade is moved into aparticular angular relationship with the arm, the connection between theblade attaching clip and the hooked arm portion having sufficient playto permit the blade to nop during operation of the cleaner.

It becomes necessary at times, as while washing the windshield, to liftthe blade and arm outwardly from the windshield to a position whereinthe blade is readily detachable and may fall from the wiper arm. Thisinvention comprehends a blade mounting means which will preventvaccidental or unauthorized displacement or disconnection of the cleanerblade when the arm is moved from the windshield, and which will alsopermit .of iopping movement of the blade and of ready attachment ordetachement from the 'arm without the use of bolts, rivets, or specialtools.;V This has been accomplished by employing an attaching clip, forreceiving a portion of the blade supporting arm, which is pivotallyconnected to the blade and has detent means for retaining it in onelocked position relative to the. blade when nectible or detachable onlywhen the clip isnoved o thewiperlsinuse, the arm andbladebeing conn endyportionf23foi the arm entends outwardly tn 55 `reference being made tothe accompanying drawl0 ing, wherein:-

Fig. 1 is a vertical cross-sectional view'through the windshield of avehicle, showing a windshield cleaner, employing the principles of thisinvention, mounted thereon;

Figs. 2 and 3 are fragmentary side elevational views of wiping blades,each provided with a 'diflferent form of the lattaching clip of thisinvention applied thereto, the clips being cut away and shown incross-section. Y 20 Figs. 4 andv5 are transverse sectional views takenalong line 4-4 of Fig.'2 and 5-5 of Fig. 3, respectively.

Fig. 6 is a side elevational view depicting the blade and supporting armin a position at the be- 25' ginning of an attaching movement.

Fig. 7 is a view similar to Fig. 6 showing the parts in the positions inwhich they residein a latter part of an attachng movement.

Fig. 8 is` a fragmentary side elevational view 30 of a wiping bladehaving a modied form of attaching clip mounted thereon.

Fig. 9 is a view similar to Figs. 2 and- 3 depicting another modifiedform of clip.

As shown in Fig. 1, the windshield cleaner com- 35 prises a motor 10,which may be mounted to a header bar 11 disposed above the windshield12. The motor has an actuating rock shaft 13 connected by spring means14 to a wiping blade carrying arm 15, the spring means urging the armin- 40 Wardly or toward the windshield. A wiper blade 16 which maycomprise a. channeled holder 17 and blade wiping element 18 is attachedto the arm by a clip member 19, in such a manner that the blade may bereciprocated or moved back and 45 forth by the motor and rockoshaft in aplane parallel to the windshield and ln wiping contact with a surface ofthe latter for removing water, sleet, snow or the like therefrom.

. As illustrated the free end o1' the arm 15 may be 5o kprovided with anangular portion 21 for spacing p the medial portion of the arm from thebackedgev f the blade 16;,yhilieperm1tting the portion 22 garante 'seat'upon-theblada The extrema at the end of the clip opposite to thathaving the oset portion 26. Locking teats or depressions 29 may beformed in the sides of the clip to engage interiitting depressions 31formed in the -tis channel 17, for resiliently and releasably holdingthe clip in the position relative to the blade shown in Fig. 2, againstrotation about the fastener 28.

In this position of the parts, as shown' in Fig. 2, it will beimpossible to remove the blade from the arm since the ,clearance betweenthe back portion 25 of the clip and the back of the blade is insumcientto pass the projection 23 of the arm, the latter engaging the backportion 32 of the clip between the back portions 25 and 26. Pressedagainst the windshield by the arm i5 urged by the spring means 14, theblade 16 will be free to trail the arm, bearing an angular relationshiplto the windshield, and being permitted to op about the contactingportion 22 of the arm upon reversal of direction of arm movement sincethe space between the clip sides 27 adjacent the oiset 26 is of widthconsiderably greater than the diameter of the arm projection 23. 'I'heblade may be attached to the arm by swinging the clip about the axis ofthe fastener 28, the resilient clip sides 27 spreading to permit theteats 29 to be disengaged from the depressions 31, to the positionsshown in Figs. 6 and 7. The arm maybe swung or lifted 4outwardly fromthe windshield about its point of connection to the rocl: shaft 13 tothe position shown in Fig. 6 and the end portion 23 of the arm insertedvrbetween the clip and blade. 'I'he parts may then be lowered or swunginwardly to the position shown in Fig. 7 and the arm portion 23 may bepassed into engagement with the offset portion 26 of the clip, and thelatter moved relatively `to the blade to snap the locking teats 29 intoengagement with the depressions 31. The blade may be removed by areversal of these steps, including moving the clip about the axis of thefastener 28 to increase the distance between the clip portion 25 and theback of the blade suiilciently to pass the projections 23 of the arm. Asindicated at 33, the portion 25 of the clip, on the end opposite theoiset portion 26, may be notched or cut away in order that the arm andblade may be engaged or disengaged upon minimum outward movement of thearm from the windshield.

Itwill be observed that the clip and blade coact or act conjointly tosecure the shoulder or angular end 23 in interlocked relationship withits pocket, or shoulder 32, when the clip is in its operative or closedposition indicated in Figs. 2 and 3. When it is desired to detach theblade the clip is swung to its inoperative or opened position indicatedin Figs. 6 and 7, in which position the pocket is exposed or renderedaccessible for making or breaking the interlock between parts 32 and 23.The pocket is rendered inaccessible when the clip is in its operativeposition.

In the form of clip illustrated in Fig. 3, which is particularly adaptedfor inverted cleaner mountings, that is, where the cleaner motor ismounted at the bottom edge of the windshield and the wiper carrying armextends upwardly therefrom, the offset portion 26 is provided with adepending portion 34 which forms with the portions 26, 32 and the 'sideportions 27 a socket in the form of a closed pocket or well 35 forreceiving the end portion 23 of the arm. When this clip is used in amounting of the type shown in Fig. 1, 5 the blade will be supportedbythe contact of the arm portion 23 with the clip portion 32 as in the lclip depicted in Fig. 2,y and when used in an inverted mounting may besupported by contact of the arm portion 23 with the depending lip 34. 10The blade is free to iiop and may be removed oro attached in the samemanner as set forth in the description of the clip of Fig. 2.

The modified clip 19', depicted in Fig. 8, may assume the generalformation of theclips shown 15 either in Fig. 2 or Fig. 3,. It ispivoted to the blade channel 17 by aV rivet or other fastener 28? whichis disposed at the end of the clip having the offset arm extensionreceiving portion 26', the locking means 29 being formed on the opposite20 end for engagement with the blade locking depression 31. The clip maybe moved to the positionshown in full lines .in Fig. 8 in which theangular relationship that the back wall 25 of the clip bears to the backof the blade will permit 25 of entry of an arm portion 23 into thepocket provided L1by the offset 26. 'Ihe clip may, after such entry, beclosed or moved to the broken line position of Fig. 8, in which the armand blade will be held positively engaged. I

Fig. 9 illustrates another modified form of clip in which the socket forreceiving the projecting arm portion 23 comprises an opening or slot 35formed in the back portion 25 of the clip.

It will now be understood that this invention 35 provides a positiveconnection between a wiping blade and a wiping arm which affords thedesirable flopping-movement and angular trailing of the blade relativeto the wiper carrying arm. The blade and arm may be lifted from thewindshield for washing the latter or for other reasons, without anypossibility of the blade becoming accidentallyl detached. The blade'maybe readily removed or replaced by moving the clip relative to the blade,releasing the resilient engagement of the detent teats with the lockingor detent depressions.

It will further be understood that the devices described are merelyexemplary of the principles of the invention which may be embodiedindevices of other structural formation.

What is claimed is:U

1. In a windshield cleaner, a wiper, a U-shaped clip extending over andpivoted to the wiper, the central portion of the clip having anoutwardly extending part terminating in an oilset part substantiallyparallel to the central portion, said outwardly extending part and saidoffset part cooperating with the sides of the clip to define a socketfor `receiving an angular extension of a wiper arm received between theclip and the wiper.

2. In a windshield cleaner, a wiper, a U-shaped clip extending over andpivoted to the-wiper, the central portion of the clip having anoutwardly extending part terminating in an offset part substantiallyparallelto the central portion and said offset part having an inwardlyextending lip, said parts cooperatingwith the sides of the clip todefine a well with continuous sides for receiving an angular extensionof a wiper arm.

3. In a windshield cleaner, a wiper, a U-sha clip disposed in invertedrelation over th'e'back thereof, the back portion of the clip beingspaced 75 from the back of the wiper and having a socket adjacent oneend of the clip for receiving an angular extension of a wiper carryingarm, and pivot means extending through the wiper and the sides of theclip adjacent the end of the latter opposite the end thereof having thesocket.

4. In a windshield cleaner, a wiper, a U-shaped clip disposed ininverted relation over the back thereof, the back portion of the clipbeing spaced from the back of the wiper and having a socket adjacent oneend of the clip for receiving an angular extension of a wiper carryingarm, and pivot means extending through and connecting the wiper and thesides of the clip adjacent the end of the latter having the socket.

5. In a windshield cleaner, a. wiper, a U-shaped clip disposed ininverted relation over the back thereof, the back portion of the clipbeing spaced from the back of the wiper and having a socket adjacent oneend of the clip for receiving an angular extension of a wiper carryingarm, pivot means extending through and connecting the wiper and thesides of the clip adjacent one end of the latter, and detent means onthe opposite end of the clip for engaging cooperating detent means onthe wiper.

6. In a windshield cleaner, a wiper element, a U-shaped clip elementpivotally movable to and from'an operative position upon said wiperelement and straddling the back thereof, said clip element having apivotal connection at one extremity to the wiper element to provide forthe pivotal movement to and from said operative position, means forreleasably securing the clip element in saidl operative position, and awiper carrying arm engageable between the clip element and the wiperelement, said arm having a part interlocking with a part on one of saidfirst two named elements while said means is maintaining said clipelement in its operative position, said parts beingdisengageable fromone another only when the clip element is pivoted away from itsoperative position.

'7. In a Windshield cleaner, a wiper element, an attaching elementmovably mounted on the wiper element, one of said elements having aninterlocking part, means for releasably securing the attaching elementand wiper element against relative movement, and a wiper arm having a.connecting part normally interlocked with said interlocking part andheld against removal `therefrom by said other element while saidelements are releasably secured against relative movement, saidconnecting part and interlocking part being freely detachable from eachother while said means is released and while said elements arerelatively movable.

8. In a windshield cleaner, a wiper element, a clip element pivotallymounted on the wiper ele'- ment and having its body pivotally movabletoward and away from said wiper element, one` of said elements having aninterlocking part, means for releasably securing said elements againstrelative movement, and a wiper arm having a connecting part normallyinterlocked against disassembly with respect to said interlocking partby said clip and wiper elements while said elements are secured againstrelative movement and regardless of the position of the assembledwindshield cleaner structure, said connecting part and interlocking partbeing freely detachable from each other while the body of the clipelement is pivoted away from said Wiper element.

9. In a windshield wiping structure, a wiper blade element, an attachingclip element movably attached to said wiper blade element and having itsbody portion movable toward and away from said blade element, means forreleasably securing said elements against relative movement when thebody portion of the clip is moved toward the blade element, one of saidelements being formed with a pocket open toward the other of saidelements, a wiper carrying arm having a blade attaching shoulderdetachably engageable in the pocket when the body of the clip element ismoved away from said blade element and normally held againstdisplacement from said pocket by said other element when the clip issecured against relative movement.

HENRY HUEBER.

